LISTEN TO GOD AND LIVE
Key verse: 33
NIV
Prologue: Exhortations to Embrace WisdomWarning Against the Invitation of Sinful Men
8 Listen, my son,(A) to your father’s(B) instruction
and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.(C)
9 They are a garland to grace your head
and a chain to adorn your neck.(D)
10 My son, if sinful men entice(E) you,
do not give in(F) to them.(G)
11 If they say, “Come along with us;
let’s lie in wait(H) for innocent blood,
let’s ambush some harmless soul;
12 let’s swallow(I) them alive, like the grave,
and whole, like those who go down to the pit;(J)
13 we will get all sorts of valuable things
and fill our houses with plunder;
14 cast lots with us;
we will all share the loot(K)”—
15 my son, do not go along with them,
do not set foot(L) on their paths;(M)
16 for their feet rush into evil,(N)
they are swift to shed blood.(O)
17 How useless to spread a net
where every bird can see it!
18 These men lie in wait(P) for their own blood;
they ambush only themselves!(Q)
19 Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain;
it takes away the life of those who get it.(R)
Wisdom’s Rebuke
20 Out in the open wisdom calls aloud,(S)
she raises her voice in the public square;
21 on top of the wall[a] she cries out,
at the city gate she makes her speech:
22 “How long will you who are simple(T) love your simple ways?
How long will mockers delight in mockery
and fools hate(U) knowledge?
23 Repent at my rebuke!
Then I will pour out my thoughts to you,
I will make known to you my teachings.
24 But since you refuse(V) to listen when I call(W)
and no one pays attention(X) when I stretch out my hand,
25 since you disregard all my advice
and do not accept my rebuke,
26 I in turn will laugh(Y) when disaster(Z) strikes you;
I will mock(AA) when calamity overtakes you(AB)—
27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
when disaster(AC) sweeps over you like a whirlwind,
when distress and trouble overwhelm you.
28 “Then they will call to me but I will not answer;(AD)
they will look for me but will not find me,(AE)
29 since they hated knowledge
and did not choose to fear the Lord.(AF)
30 Since they would not accept my advice
and spurned my rebuke,(AG)
31 they will eat the fruit of their ways
and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.(AH)
32 For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,
and the complacency of fools will destroy them;(AI)
33 but whoever listens to me will live in safety(AJ)
and be at ease, without fear of harm.”(AK)
8 Listen, my son,(A) to your father’s(B) instruction
and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.(C)
9 They are a garland to grace your head
and a chain to adorn your neck.(D)
10 My son, if sinful men entice(E) you,
do not give in(F) to them.(G)
11 If they say, “Come along with us;
let’s lie in wait(H) for innocent blood,
let’s ambush some harmless soul;
12 let’s swallow(I) them alive, like the grave,
and whole, like those who go down to the pit;(J)
13 we will get all sorts of valuable things
and fill our houses with plunder;
14 cast lots with us;
we will all share the loot(K)”—
15 my son, do not go along with them,
do not set foot(L) on their paths;(M)
16 for their feet rush into evil,(N)
they are swift to shed blood.(O)
17 How useless to spread a net
where every bird can see it!
18 These men lie in wait(P) for their own blood;
they ambush only themselves!(Q)
19 Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain;
it takes away the life of those who get it.(R)
20 Out in the open wisdom calls aloud,(S)
she raises her voice in the public square;
21 on top of the wall[a] she cries out,
at the city gate she makes her speech:
22 “How long will you who are simple(T) love your simple ways?
How long will mockers delight in mockery
and fools hate(U) knowledge?
23 Repent at my rebuke!
Then I will pour out my thoughts to you,
I will make known to you my teachings.
24 But since you refuse(V) to listen when I call(W)
and no one pays attention(X) when I stretch out my hand,
25 since you disregard all my advice
and do not accept my rebuke,
26 I in turn will laugh(Y) when disaster(Z) strikes you;
I will mock(AA) when calamity overtakes you(AB)—
27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
when disaster(AC) sweeps over you like a whirlwind,
when distress and trouble overwhelm you.
28 “Then they will call to me but I will not answer;(AD)
they will look for me but will not find me,(AE)
29 since they hated knowledge
and did not choose to fear the Lord.(AF)
30 Since they would not accept my advice
and spurned my rebuke,(AG)
31 they will eat the fruit of their ways
and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.(AH)
32 For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,
and the complacency of fools will destroy them;(AI)
33 but whoever listens to me will live in safety(AJ)
and be at ease, without fear of harm.”(AK)
Footnotes
- Proverbs 1:21 Septuagint; Hebrew / at noisy street corners
Cross references
- Proverbs 1:8 : ver 8-9; Pr 2:1; 3:1; 4:1; 5:1; 6:1; 7:1; 19:27; 22:17; 23:26-28
- Proverbs 1:8 : Jer 35:8
- Proverbs 1:8 : S Dt 21:18; Pr 6:20
- Proverbs 1:9 : Pr 3:21-22; 4:1-9
- Proverbs 1:10 : S Job 24:15
- Proverbs 1:10 : Dt 13:8
- Proverbs 1:10 : ver 15; Ps 1:1; Pr 16:29
- Proverbs 1:11 : S Ps 10:8
- Proverbs 1:12 : S Ps 35:25
- Proverbs 1:12 : ver 16-18; S Job 33:18; S Ps 30:3
- Proverbs 1:14 : ver 19
- Proverbs 1:15 : S Ps 119:101
- Proverbs 1:15 : S Ge 49:6; Pr 4:14
- Proverbs 1:16 : S Job 15:31
- Proverbs 1:16 : Pr 6:18; Isa 59:7
- Proverbs 1:18 : S Ps 71:10
- Proverbs 1:18 : S ver 11-12
- Proverbs 1:19 : S ver 13-14; Pr 4:14-17; 11:19
- Proverbs 1:20 : S Job 28:12; Pr 7:10-13; 9:1-3, 13-15
- Proverbs 1:22 : Pr 6:32; 7:7; 8:5; 9:4, 16
- Proverbs 1:22 : Ps 50:17
- Proverbs 1:24 : Jer 26:5; 35:17; 36:31
- Proverbs 1:24 : Isa 65:12; 66:4; Jer 7:13
- Proverbs 1:24 : S 1Sa 8:19
- Proverbs 1:26 : S Ps 2:4
- Proverbs 1:26 : ver 33; S Ps 59:8
- Proverbs 1:26 : S 2Ki 19:21
- Proverbs 1:26 : Dt 28:63
- Proverbs 1:27 : S Ps 18:18; Pr 5:12-14
- Proverbs 1:28 : S Dt 1:45; S 1Sa 8:18; S Jer 11:11
- Proverbs 1:28 : S Job 27:9; Pr 8:17; Eze 8:18; Hos 5:6; Zec 7:13
- Proverbs 1:29 : S Job 21:14
- Proverbs 1:30 : ver 25
- Proverbs 1:31 : S 2Ch 36:16; Pr 14:14; Jer 6:19; 14:16; 21:14; 30:15
- Proverbs 1:32 : Pr 5:22; 15:10; Isa 66:4
- Proverbs 1:33 : S Nu 24:21; S Dt 33:28; Pr 3:23
- Proverbs 1:33 : S ver 21-26; S Ps 112:8
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
The Enticement of Sinners
8 (A)Hear, my son, your father's instruction,
and forsake not your mother's teaching,
9 for they are (B)a graceful garland for your head
and (C)pendants for your neck.
10 My son, if sinners (D)entice you,
do not consent.
11 If they say, “Come with us, (E)let us lie in wait for blood;
(F)let us ambush the innocent without reason;
12 like Sheol let us (G)swallow them alive,
and whole, like (H)those who go down to the pit;
13 we shall find all precious goods,
we shall fill our houses with plunder;
14 throw in your lot among us;
we will all have one purse”—
15 my son, (I)do not walk in the way with them;
(J)hold back your foot from their paths,
16 for (K)their feet run to evil,
and they make haste to shed blood.
17 (L)For in vain is a net spread
in the sight of any bird,
18 but these men (M)lie in wait for their own blood;
they (N)set an ambush for their own lives.
19 (O)Such are the ways of everyone who is (P)greedy for unjust gain;
(Q)it takes away the life of its possessors.
The Call of Wisdom
20 (R)Wisdom cries aloud in the street,
in the markets she raises her voice;
21 at the head of the noisy streets she cries out;
at (S)the entrance of the city gates she speaks:
22 “How long, O (T)simple ones, will you love being simple?
How long will (U)scoffers delight in their scoffing
and fools (V)hate knowledge?
23 If you turn at my reproof,[a]
behold, I will (W)pour out my spirit to you;
I will make my words known to you.
24 (X)Because I have called and (Y)you refused to listen,
have (Z)stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,
25 because you have (AA)ignored all my counsel
and (AB)would have none of my reproof,
26 I also (AC)will laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when (AD)terror strikes you,
27 when terror strikes you like (AE)a storm
and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
when distress and anguish come upon you.
28 (AF)Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer;
they will seek me diligently but will not find me.
29 Because they (AG)hated knowledge
and (AH)did not choose the fear of the Lord,
30 (AI)would have none of my counsel
and (AJ)despised all my reproof,
31 therefore they shall eat (AK)the fruit of their way,
and have (AL)their fill of their own devices.
32 For the simple are killed by (AM)their turning away,
and (AN)the complacency of fools destroys them;
33 but (AO)whoever listens to me will dwell secure
and will be (AP)at ease, without dread of disaster.”
Footnotes
- Proverbs 1:23 Or Will you turn away at my reproof?
Cross references
- Proverbs 1:8 : ch. 6:20; [Ps. 34:11; Eph. 6:1, 2]
- Proverbs 1:9 : ch. 4:9; [ch. 3:22]
- Proverbs 1:9 : [Gen. 41:42; Dan. 5:29]
- Proverbs 1:10 : ch. 16:29
- Proverbs 1:11 : ver. 18; ch. 12:6; Jer. 5:26
- Proverbs 1:11 : ver. 18; Ps. 10:8; 64:5
- Proverbs 1:12 : Ps. 124:3; [Num. 16:32, 33]
- Proverbs 1:12 : Ps. 28:1
- Proverbs 1:15 : ch. 4:14; 24:1; Ps. 1:1
- Proverbs 1:15 : [Ps. 119:101]
- Proverbs 1:16 : ch. 6:18; Isa. 59:7; [Rom. 3:15]
- Proverbs 1:17 : [Job 40:24]
- Proverbs 1:18 : ver. 11
- Proverbs 1:18 : ver. 11
- Proverbs 1:19 : [Job 8:13]
- Proverbs 1:19 : ch. 15:27
- Proverbs 1:19 : [1 Tim. 6:10]
- Proverbs 1:20 : ch. 8:1; 9:3; [John 7:37]
- Proverbs 1:21 : ch. 8:3
- Proverbs 1:22 : See ver. 4
- Proverbs 1:22 : See Ps. 1:1
- Proverbs 1:22 : ver. 29; ch. 5:12; [Job 21:14]
- Proverbs 1:23 : Joel 2:28; Acts 2:17
- Proverbs 1:24 : Isa. 65:12; 66:4; Jer. 7:13
- Proverbs 1:24 : Zech. 7:11
- Proverbs 1:24 : Rom. 10:21
- Proverbs 1:25 : See Ps. 107:11
- Proverbs 1:25 : [Ps. 81:11; Luke 7:30]
- Proverbs 1:26 : See Ps. 2:4
- Proverbs 1:26 : ch. 10:24; Jer. 48:43; 49:5
- Proverbs 1:27 : [Zeph. 1:15]
- Proverbs 1:28 : See 1 Sam. 8:18; Job 27:9
- Proverbs 1:29 : [See ver. 22 above]; ver. 29; ch. 5:12; [Job 21:14]
- Proverbs 1:29 : [Job 21:14]
- Proverbs 1:30 : [See ver. 25 above]; See Ps. 107:11
- Proverbs 1:30 : [See ver. 25 above]; [Ps. 81:11; Luke 7:30]
- Proverbs 1:31 : Jer. 6:19
- Proverbs 1:31 : ch. 14:14; Isa. 3:11; [Job 4:8]
- Proverbs 1:32 : Jer. 2:19
- Proverbs 1:32 : [Ps. 73:18, 19]
- Proverbs 1:33 : [Ps. 25:12, 13]
- Proverbs 1:33 : Ps. 112:7, 8
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
Solomon advises his son (and us) against acquiring immoral earnings (v. 15). Not all of us may be engaging in ambushing and looting as in this passage, but we should all examine our hearts to see if “precious substance” (v. 13) is a stumbling block as we follow Christ, as Jesus said, “You cannot serve both God and money” (Matthew 6:26). Love of material gain will eventually cost us our lives (v. 19), piercing us with many griefs (1 Timothy 6:10). We should not justify our crafty ways.
Solomon fiercely rebukes us to repent our stubbornness and foolishness. He points out that we are pushing away God’s wisdom while childishly indulging ourselves with our pride. He warns us that this behavior brings calamities like a storm, one after another. Our lives without the fear of God will be conquered by constant stress and anxiety.
We must desire God’s knowledge and learn to reject our selfish thoughts. We must open our ears to listen to God’s voice and calling. Then God will bless us with his eternal safety and comfort.
Prayer: Father, thank you for giving us your wisdom. When I am tempted by dishonest gain, help me to listen to you and live a blessed life.
One Word: Listen to God and live